Clothesline prop



June 1938. l. D. HARTMAN ET AL 2,120,662

CIJOTHESLINE PROP Filed March 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l l I I l -3 I I l i 9 l I i Inventor;

C. 7. Harfman I. .D,Harlman Afforneus June 14; 1938. I, D, HART AN ET AL 2,120,662

CLOTHESLINE PROP Filed March 9, 1957 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor;

C. P. hav'iman 1.3. Hariman Patented June 14, 1938 anattz CLOTHESLINE PROP Ira D Hartman and Clarence P. Hartman, Stony I Creek Mills, Pa.

-Application March 9, isstserai No. mess i 1 Claim.

This invention relates to props of the type used for supporting sagging clothes-lines, and the object of the invention is to provide a prop of this character that is longitudinally adjustable; and also to provide improved means for securing the sections of the prop at the desired relative position of adjustment.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the prop.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the prop.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating certain details hereinafter more fully referred to.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of one section of the prop illustrating certain details also hereinafter more fully referred to.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an end portion of one section of the prop with parts removed therefrom, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a latch member.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen that the improved clothesline prop comprises two sections 5, 6. Each section is formed of wood, metal, or other suitable material, and is of, any desired length, width, and thickness.

The section 5 is provided in one end thereof with a suitable notch l to accommodate the clothes-line, while the section 6 has one end thereof sharpened to a point as at 8 to penetrate the ground.

The prop sections 5 and 6 are arranged in overlapping sliding relation and carried on the free end of the prop section 5 is a sleeve 9 of metal or other suitable material which embraces the prop section 5.

Secured to the free end of the prop section 6 is a second sleeve ll) of metal or other suitable material and which embraces the section 5.

lhus, it will be seen that sleeves 9 and It serve to hold the sections 5 and 6 in assembled overlapping sliding relation for longitudinal adjustment relative to one another.

The sleeve it, which is formed from an oblong sheet of metal or other suitable material, folded into a substantially rectangular frame or sleevelike form, has its ends secured in overlapping relation to one another through the medium of screws or other fastening elements H, which latter also serve to secure the sleeve ii! to the prop section 6. One of the ends of the sheet from which the sleeve I is formed is provided with a slot l2 that cooperates with the lapped endof said sheet of material to provide in one side of the sleeve iii an opening that accommodates the shank portion iii of a latch member indicated generally by the reference numeral Hi. The prop section 6 is provided with a recess 95 in one face thereof that registers with the opening i2 and at opposite sides of the recess is pro vided with semi-cylindrical recesses it that accommodate the opposite ends of a pivot pin ll. 10

Disposed on the pivot pin ll is a sleeve I8 that is provided on one end of, the shank It of the latch member 84. The sleeve i8 is accommodated within the recess l5, while the sleeve til serves to retain the ends of the pivot pin ll within the recesses i6. Formed integral with the shank i3 at the free end of the latter and extending at an angle to the shank i3 is aframe-like member l8 through which the prop sections 5 and 6 work, and the member I3 is adapted to engage a selected one of a vertical series of notches l9 provided in one side of the prop section and in a manner clearly shown in Figure 3 to secure the prop sections 5 and t at the desired longitudinal position of adjustment.

Suitably secured to the shank ii at the end thereof provided with the frame-like part i8 is a button 20 in the form of a disk hollowed out to provide a socket accommodating one end of a coil spring 2|, the opposite end of which coil spring is accommodated within a recess 22 pro vided in the prop sectionfi. Spring 2!, as will be clear from a study of Figure 3, serves to urge the shank i3 outwardly away from the prop 5 section 6 and an end of the part E8? of the latch member M into engagement with a notch is to secure the prop sections 5 and 5 against longi tudinal relative movement after the sections have been disposed at the desired position of adjust- 40 merit.

The button 20 also serves as a bearing surface for the thumb to facilitate the pressing inwardly of the shank 13 against the action of spring 2i to move the member i8 out of engagement with the notch l9 whereby the prop sections 5 and 5 are free to be spread longitudinally relative to one another, to a desired position of adjustment, upon release of pressure thereon, spring 2] acting to engage the member it with the proper notch it to secure the prop sections at the desired position of adjustment.

Preferably, and as shown in Figure 6, the latch member M is formed from a single length of. Wire rod bent into shape to provide the shank l3, the

frame section I8, and coiled at the end of the shank [3 to provide the sleeve [8 that accommodates the bearing pin l1.

It is thought that the manner of using the prop is well known to those skilled in the art, the prop after being secured at the desired adjustment being used for supporting the sagging portion of a line, the line being accommodated in the notch I and a pointed end 8 of. the prop penetrating the ground; the prop, when properly adjusted, serving to support the sagging part of the line at an elevation suitable to prevent the garments or the like hanging on the line from sweeping the ground.

The utility and advantages of a prop embodying the features of construction comprehended by the present invention will be clear to those skilled in the art, and having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A prop of the class described comprising a pair of upper and lower bars having rear slidably engaging faces, a guide sleeve for said bars secured to the upper end of the lower bar and surrounding both bars, said sleeve having a central aperture in the front face and the lower bar having a recess in the front face thereof registering with said aperture and a pair of laterally extending grooves therein upon opposite sides of the recess and closed by said sleeve, a pivot pin disposed in said grooves to traverse said recess and held in said grooves by said sleeve, a latch arm extending from said pin through said aperture and having a sleeve-like end mounted on said pin rotatably and housed in said recess, said arm having a lower bail-like end surrounding both bars and movable by said arm to engage and disengage the front face of the upper bar, and a spring interposed between said arm and the front face of the lower bar and urging said bail into engaging relation, the front face of the upper bar having notches therein receiving said bail.

IRA D. HARTMAN. CLARENCE P. HARTMAN. 

